Now that you’ve decided to track your fat metabolism with BIOSENSE, which ACEs level should you be targeting?
As with many health related questions, the answer is “it depends.” With BIOSENSE, your body switches over to a fat burning state at around 5 ACEs, with higher numbers corresponding to even higher rates of fat burn. Research suggests that there are real health benefits tied to raising your ACEs level above 5. But how high you should aim depends on your specific health goals. Below we outline three common health goals and their associated ACEs range:
Weight loss: 5 – 15 ACEs
Healthy weight loss means preserving your lean body mass (i.e. muscle) while shedding body fat. A well known fact among weight loss coaches and clinicians is that people who lose weight gradually and steadily are much more successful at keeping weight off than those who go for the quick and sudden fix. To this end, many health authorities recommend an optimal weight loss rate of 1-3 pounds per week.
Research on breath acetone and weight loss tells us that maintaining an ACEs level of 5 leads to roughly 1 pound of fat loss per week. Meanwhile, increasing your ACEs level to 15 bumps up your fat loss rate to about 3 pound per week. Given the 1-3 pounds per week recommendation, targeting an ACEs level between 5 and 15 is the perfect range for healthy weight loss.
Cognitive Performance and Reduced inflammation: 10 – 40 ACEs
Growing evidence is mounting that fasting, the keto diet and MCT drinks can improve performance on cognitive testing. Research also suggests that these dietary changes can both prevent and treat cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
What exactly is going on here?
Although we’ve long known that glucose is the go-to fuel source for most of the body’s cells, your brain’s neurons are a notable exception. In fact, research suggests that, unlike most organs in the body, the brain prefers to use ketones over glucose.
By following lifestyle habits that raise your ketone levels, not only are you providing ample fuel to the brain in the form of its preferred energy source, but you’re also protecting yourself from excessive inflammation, which is associated with a whole host of chronic diseases. Numerous studies have tied both anti-inflammatory effects and cognitive improvement to a blood BHB level of about 1.0 mmol, or equivalently, an ACEs level of 10. Target the 10 – 40 ACEs range to reap the cognitive and anti-inflammatory benefits of ketones.
Increased longevity and Healthspan: 15 – 40 ACEs
In recent years, fasting has emerged as an effective strategy to increase longevity and Healthspan. Researchers have come to believe that one of the primary mechanisms for this effect is a process called autophagy. Autophagy, which literally means “self-eating,” is a process where your body breaks down and recycles old and dysfunctional cells. In a sense, autophagy actually slows down the aging process by removing the broken cells and replacing them with brand new ones.
As we continue to learn more about the mechanisms behind the longevity benefits of fasting, we can already make educated estimates about where these benefits kick in. One of the main players in regulating autophagy is an enzyme called mammalian target of rapamycin, or mTOR. When mTOR is suppressed, autophagy begins. Research shows that mTOR suppression is associated with ketone levels of 1.7mmol, or 17 ACEs. If longevity and Healthspan are your goals, spend some time in the range of 15 – 40 ACEs.
